Module 3: Technology (Part 3)

Basic Computer Skills/Formatting

Introduction

Objective: The student will correctly use the following formatting skills in Microsoft Word: cut/paste, header/footer, font size and styles, text justification, font emphasis, clip art, and tables. The student will also use Microsoft PowerPoint to correctly format the following: new slides, titles, captions, colors, themes, and animations.

This is the second lesson in a series of high school/college comparisons in Module 1.

This lesson is designed to allow you to explore your level of proficiency with commonly used formatting procedures in college assignments.

Estimated time 30-45 minutes

This is the first of four lessons in a series of high school/college comparisons in Module 1.

Materials included:

“Basic Computer Skills: Formatting Exercise” worksheet

Materials needed:

Transition Notebook from Module 1 Activity 1
Computer with Internet connection

Classroom curriculum Link:

This section corresponds with Module 3 Activity 2 in the STEPP Classroom Transition resources.

Learn About It

To succeed in college, and in particular when using online course tools, you will need to have basic computer skills. A functional level of formatting skills is critical.

Complete the formatting exercise below for both Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. When you finish, use your transition notebook to write a brief summary of your results, challenges, and how you can work on getting faster and more efficient.

Microsoft Word Documents
Cut/paste	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv6lsXRtS00
Header/Footer	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU6tOwzWtY8
Font size and styles	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emXrqkW3kGg
Text Justification	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6H2ZhtcNLs
Clip Art	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fu2Jl565YlE
Tables	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk0ASvjWXRg

Microsoft PowerPoint Documents
New Slide, Titles, Captions, Animations	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gB8bxh6-Xpg
Themes & Colors	https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH7Gzjd3rGA

Basic Computer Skills: Formatting Exercise

A functional level of formatting skills is critical. This activity is designed to help you explore your level of proficiency with commonly used formatting procedures in college assignments.

Complete the formatting exercises below. When you finish, write a brief summary of your results, the challenges, and how you can become faster and more efficient.

Complete the following formatting tasks in Microsoft Word:

Open a new blank document and change page orientation from portrait to landscape.
Set custom-size margins of 2” on the left and right and 0.5” on the top and bottom.
Insert a header that says “Word Formatting Exercise.”
Insert a footer that automatically lists the page number.
On page 1, type 3 sentences about anything you want. Then press “Enter” until you reach the second page of the document.
Cut and paste one of your sentences from page 1 to page 2 using either the mouse (right-click and select cut/paste) or the keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl-x and Ctrl-v).
Change the font size of the first sentence to at least 24.
Change the font color of the second sentence to something other than the default.
Change the font/typeface of the third sentence to something other than the default.
Choose a few key words in your sentences and apply one of the following emphases to each: bold, underline, italics, and highlight.
On page 2, insert a clip art illustration. Resize it to fit on the page while still leaving room for your sentence. Center the clip art and center the sentence on that page.
On page 1, insert a table that is 5 cells wide and 3 cells tall.

In Microsoft PowerPoint, create a new presentation that meets the following criteria:

At least 3 slides: 1 title slide, 1 title & content slide, and 1 content with caption slide.
Uses a design other than the default.
Includes a clip art/picture and a caption associated with it, a bulleted list, an animation or transition, a title, a subtitle, and something written in the notes section for each slide.

Switch the view to see your presentation in the Slide Sorter and Notes Page views, and then switch it back to normal.

Enter Print Preview and set it to print the presentation as a handout with 3 slides per page. (You do not have to actually print the presentation.)

Objective Check

Have you accomplished today’s objective?

If so, congratulations!

If not, continue to practice your formatting skills using Microsoft Word or another type of document editing software. You could also take a basic computer skills class at your high school or community college.